Max Verstappen has completed the first laps in Red Bull's new F1 car, getting some miles under his belt in a shakedown at Silverstone. RacingNews365.com understands that Verstappen completed a limited number of laps on Thursday afternoon, hitting some 50 kilometres – half of the mileage permitted during a filming day under F1's current regulations. With poor weather conditions restricting track activity, Sergio Perez did not spend any time at the wheel, meaning he is set to get his first taste of the RB18 at next week's opening pre-season test in Barcelona. Red Bull's shakedown took place behind closed doors, with no photos being released by the team, which initially presented an adapted show car - featuring a revised livery - at their car launch last week.
What's involved in an F1 car shakedown?
During a shakedown, F1 teams are permitted to run their cars over a maximum distance of 100km, on specially-supplied demo tyres from Pirelli. These outings give teams an opportunity to carry out systems checks, while film crews are also often present to capture content for team partners and the media. Aston Martin, AlphaTauri and Williams have all conducted shakedowns with their 2022 cars, and Mercedes are set to follow on Friday. Ferrari have also confirmed plans to run their new car before testing, initially as part of a demo event and then during a filming day.
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